Hosting visitors in San Francisco means seeing the city again through fresh eyes. In November my parents arrived for conferences in the city by the bay with plenty of time for exploring. Based at the Embarcadero Hyatt, they had stunning views of the waterfront with the classic San Francisco cable cars and holiday lights on Market.
On Friday after a seafood lunch at the Ferry Building's Hog & Oyster, we took a ferry to Sausalito. The tiny town museum displayed some great old photos and shared stories of the development of the area. The fancy houseboats on the waterfront were also fascinating in detail. After strolling the galleries and bustling main street, we returned to San Francisco and headed to the Mission to dine at Foreign Cinema. The ivy-filled outdoor patio and finely crafted entrees made for a beautiful evening.
To cap a conference day my parents met my partner and I at Top of the Mark, the historic restaurant atop the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins hotel. Sunset is the time to visit!
A visit to my Mission neighborhood included a climb to the top of Bernal Heights hill, viewing murals, and ice cream at Humphrey Slocombe. Also, with Steeler season underway we made a trip to North Beach to watch the game at Giordano Brothers - a place to see Pittsburghers in their natural habitat.
My dad and I walked the length of Golden Gate Park smelling eucalyptus and making stops at the California Academy of Science, the Japanese Tea Garden and Ocean Beach. After a lot of walking we met my mom for dinner at the Farralon Restaurant near Union Square. The tiled dining room with exquisite underwater decor is part of an old swimming pool, as the building used to be a YMCA.
An autumn visit to wine country in the Russian River Valley included scenic winding roads and yellow and red leaves on the vines. At lunchtime Mom's Pies served up hearty sandwiches and homey history. We enjoyed the quiet Tuesday in the tasting rooms. Back in the city burrito night it was at El Farrolito.
Sending my parents back east, we ate hipster diner food for breakfast at the Mission's St. Francis Fountain and gave big hugs.
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